During the past 20 years at Casa Bernabé , God has sent many resources to the band program and yet since 2014 with the focus on the vocational program, fewer and fewer kids are able to participate in band. I've been talking with Flory the Director of Casa Bernabé since 2014 about expanding the music program to include other orphanages and maybe start a school of music with all the resources we have. This is now becoming a reality with the School of Fine Arts & Musical Arts ( SoFaMa). Trusting that God is leading and guiding, 2017 has been a year to use the program at Casa Bernabé as a pilot program for SoFaMa. There have been many tweaks to the program and as always adaptations must be made along the way to accommodate the other ministries and activities that happen at Casa Bernabé.
It will be called SoFaMa (School of fine arts and musical arts), and will come under the umbrella of Music Camp Guatemala (McG) as it fits perfectly with their mission and is equipped to minister to more than just one orphanage or ministry.
Besides doing the summer camp, it has been part of the longer plans for McG to do after school programs around the city and theory camps and teacher training camps, music classes, etc. So SoFaMa fits perfectly with that mission of being an after school program, but with more of a focus with priority on the orphanage population and missionary kids and kids at risk. We will begin with just the band program and then as we feel led will expand to include orchestra, worship band, and other Performing arts: clowning, drama, puppets, mime, dance, etc.
Same as Music Camp Guatemala, the focus will be discipleship training as TOP priority but using the vehicle of music and Performing Arts with all its benefits to bring that opportunity for teaching discipleship.
Besides that we are planning some fund raising events both in Guatemala as well as in the USA, to share about the ministry and see who God would have to be regular supporters for SoFaMa. Besides startup costs, there are some regular monthly costs in order for the plan to work. Paying teachers, for their time and gas, storage location for the instruments and stuff not currently in use, space for doing instrument repair, possible renting of a school in which to do big rehearsals. cost of maintenance for the instruments. Consumable stuff that is needed for the instruments (oil, reeds, etc.)
There are big things happening, big vision, big changes, big faith to keep on going even when it seems impossible. And of course a BIG GOD to give the vision and lead step by step to make it into a reality! HIS WILL BE DONE!!!
Vivian Douglas
Director of Music Casa Bernabé
www.webwizardry.net/~lyttled/Band
Director of Music Camp Guatemala
216-769-5664 (USA)
011(502)5602-4180 (Guatemala)